The holiday season is in full swing. Stores are filled with shoppers, packages are piled up in warehouses, and restaurants are buzzing with activity. Behind the scenes, millions of seasonal and hourly workers keep everything running by stocking shelves, fulfilling orders, managing customer flow, and ensuring the season’s chaos feels seamless.
But while these employees are essential to the economy, many of them lack access to affordable health coverage. They clock long hours, pick up extra shifts, and often juggle multiple jobs, yet they remain overlooked when it comes to meaningful benefits.
This time of year is a great reminder that the workforce carrying us through the busiest season deserves support that lasts far beyond it.
The Overlooked Reality
Many hourly and part-time workers want health coverage just as much as anyone else. The challenge isn’t interest, it’s access, especially from a stable source such as their employer. Traditional major medical plans are often too expensive, overly complex, or simply unavailable to variable-hour staff.
Without access to affordable care, these employees often delay checkups, skip preventive visits, or forgo treatment altogether, leading to higher absenteeism, lower productivity, and preventable health issues that affect both worker and employer alike.
Redefining What “Coverage” Looks Like
This is where innovative alternative benefits, such as Minimum Value (MV) plans, Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) plans, and level-funded options, can make a lasting difference. These plans bridge the gap and provide an alternative to employers overspending on plans their employees can’t afford to use. They offer preventive care and essential wellness services that help keep workers healthy year-round.
Although these plans offer ACA compliance for employers, employees expect more than just compliance. They want benefits that are flexible, accessible, and personal, designed for the way they actually live and work. This includes telehealth and virtual care for on-the-go employees, as well as clear communication, so workers understand how to use their benefits the moment they need them.
According to a 2024 market research study provided by Tres Health and administered by Talker Research, American workers are looking for plans with:
Additionally, the study surveyed the services employees use most, ranked in order:
Why It Matters More Than Ever
In an increasingly competitive labor market, benefits have become more than a checkbox; they’re a reflection of company culture. Seasonal, part-time, and hourly workers are essential to keeping operations running smoothly, especially during high-demand periods like the holidays.
By offering coverage options that fit their realities, employers send a powerful message of value and well-being. That message builds loyalty, reduces turnover, and creates a culture of trust, the kind that carries companies through both the busy season and the quieter months that follow.
A Future of Inclusion in Healthcare
The future of employer-sponsored benefits isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s adaptive, inclusive, and built to close the gap between those who have access and those who’ve been left behind. Employers who rise to that challenge will redefine what true employee care looks like, during the holidays and beyond. It’s time to rethink coverage, rebuild trust, and remember the workers who’ve been essential all along.
